Captivity

Chapter 1: Trapped

Captivity... Such a thought had never been in left to stew within his mind before now; lying along the bottom of a deep salt water tank. To find himself at the mercy of its unyielding confines as it all but consumed him.

Trapped.... A long swish of his tailfin stirred the waters as his luminescent green eyes glowered at the sandy floor. He'd lost track of the nights he'd spent here. It couldn't have been more than a week, but he was uncertain. He'd not had any visitors since the third day. After attacking the diver, they seemed a bit more wary to approach him, and he was perfectly fine with that. He didn't need these humans poking their heads in at him, attempting to prod at him through the glass. He hated it.... Felt exposed, and just wanted to be left alone again...

For as long as he could remember he'd been alone.... Even amongst his kind he'd been shunned and alone. From the time he was a guppy; the others would not share with him, nor join him in sport. As the years passed by he had been pushed to the outskirts of the shoal until he was all but out of their sight; away from the safety of the deep and into the shallow reefs that banked the warm coastal waters. Never in his dreams did he realize how much danger he'd put himself in.

The shallows were home to an assortment of creatures, both large and small; it was a colorful and curious attraction. He had little trouble in acquiring food with such abundance; his only competition, a few complaining reef sharks. But despite the plenty and variety, it did not ease the ache of loneliness that hung heavy within his chest. Now as an adolescent male, he would carry himself to the edge of the reef and call out into the depths. Yet his voice was unheard; his song falling on deaf ears. Either the clan had moved on to other waters, or no female dared wander near. In the end he'd all but become mute at the lack of contact.

He'd taken to patrolling the reefs, claiming it as his official territory, and guarded it with great ferocity. A number of small boats soon found themselves victims of his wrath, the tattered remains shoved along the shoreline to be dragged off to whence they came. The colorful buoyant bodies were invading his home and taking his prey, and he was not about to put up with it. It was his territory, and the surrounding wildlife knew it well. Even the reef sharks had come to fear the jet black mer.

After some time, he was certain they had finally headed his warnings, as the number of craft began to dwindle within the area. That is, until a large white behemoth lay within his path...

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"Thank you for coming all the way out here for this Dr. Manson"

"It was nothing Mr. Masters"

The two men shook hands before turning down one of the docks of the crowded harbor. The old wood creaked under their shoes as they approached a large fishing boat. The biology team they had gathered had already begun preparations to get underway. Masters simply waved a hand at a few of them as they wandered past, up the ramp, and into the main quarters of the vessel. He let his form meander towards the back counter, setting about preparing a cup of coffee for him and his guest.

"Sugar?"

"Black is fine thanks."

Nathaniel Manson accepted the cup gratefully from the older man as he took a seat near the window. He gave the cup a soft swirl before sipping at its hot, bitter contents. He only looked up from the drink briefly as Masters addressed him once more.

"So how has the family been?"

"Things have been good lately; my brother is bringing his wife and daughter down for the summer. So it should liven things up a bit."